Saipem completes pipeline installation for Equinor project in Norwegian Sea

Italian energy services company Saipem has successfully completed the installation of the subsea pipeline for Equinor's Irpa project in the Norwegian Sea. The offshore operations were carried out by Saipem's flagship pipelay vessel, Castorone.

The project involved the installation of an 80-kilometre pipeline at a water depth of 1,350 metres, making Irpa the deepest subsea field development in Norway to date, Saipem described. The pipeline will connect the Irpa underwater production system to the Aasta Hansteen platform.

The pipeline uses a technology which consists of a dual-pipe system where an internal pipeline transports the fluid while an external one provides protection. Saipem stated this design maintains the fluid's temperature along its path on the seabed, preventing the risk of obstruction from the formation of hydrates or waxes, which is a critical issue in cold, deep waters like those of the Norwegian Sea.

The installation of the 20-inch diameter pipeline was completed on July 22, after 84 days of uninterrupted operations. Logistical support for the work was provided from the Norwegian port of Sandnessjøen.